Police investigation of Skidmore hazing to focus on alcohol

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The city police investigation into a hazing incident involving the Skidmore College men's soccer team will focus on where the students obtained the alcohol and whether there was underage drinking.

Skidmore College President Philip A. Glotzbach released a letter Thursday night to the entire college community announcing that the team's spring season would be canceled after college officials investigated a hazing incident involving 24 members of the soccer team. The letter stated that all 28 students involved were barred from participating in spring sports.

The hazing incident -- known as "Rookie Night" -- occurred Nov. 30.

The college conducted an investigation and turned those results over to city police Wednesday morning.

Advertisement

"Skidmore had put a packet together and turned it in to us (Wednesday)," city police Lt. John Catone said. "We will read through it over the next couple of days."

Catone said the allegation at this point is that students were being encouraged to drink alcohol as part of the hazing. He said if there were underage participants, the investigation will focus on where the alcohol came from.

Because there was no physical violence involved in the incident, Catone said the charge for "hazing" would be a violation, not a misdemeanor or felony.

"More of our focus will be on who was providing the alcohol and the off-campus properties where this allegedly took place," he said, adding that early indications show there may have been members of Skidmore's lacrosse team involved, as well.

"Skidmore has conducted a thorough, professional and complete investigation," Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said.